who makes house committee assignments

Stack Exchange Network

Stack Exchange network consists of 183 Q&A communities including Stack Overflow , the largest, most trusted online community for developers to learn, share their knowledge, and build their careers.

Q&A for work

Connect and share knowledge within a single location that is structured and easy to search.

How are members of US Congressional committees selected?

I gather that each committee has an assigned number of major/minor party spaces, but what is the selection process for the members who serve on each committee in the Senate/house committees?

• united-states

• 1 I think it's like middle school gym class. –  user1530 Commented Jan 29, 2016 at 5:57

Unlike many other features of the government, Congressional committees are not specified by the Constitution or law. They are entirely a product of the party system (although legislators have created House/Senate rules regarding them).

There are also several kinds of committees.

Standing Committees

Standing committees are "normal" committees. They exist pretty much every session and originate laws.

Prior to each session, leadership from both parties meet to determine how large each committee will be, and what number of Republicans and Democrats will appear in each. Generally each party is represented proportionally.

Each party will have its own internal 'committee on committees' to make committee assignments. Each legislator makes their preferences known, and the committee makes these assignments. The assignments are then approved by the party. Finally, committee assignments must be passed as a resolution in their chamber (so Senate committee assignments require a Senate resolution).

There can be quite a lot of politics here. Legislators generally want to be on committees that are important to their constituents. Party leadership may want to give high visibility positions to loyal party members. Members of the committee on committees may attempt to reward their own supporters within their party.

• FAQ from the Clerk of the House of Representatives
• Congressional Research Service paper on Senate Committee Assignment processes

Special, Select, and Joint Committees

Special and select committees are established by Congressional acts. Typically the act will specify the composition of the committee. Joint committees have members from both chambers.

The party nomination/approval process generally still happens, as long as the committee continues to exist. In these cases party leadership typically have much more influence. These committees are often more strategic than standing committees, and their more ad-hoc nature means there are fewer rules regarding them.

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for browse other questions tagged united-states congress ..

• Featured on Meta
• Upcoming sign-up experiments related to tags

Hot Network Questions

• Should I practise a piece at a metronome tempo that is faster than required?
• Looking for a story that possibly started "MYOB"
• How do languages where multiple files make up a module handle combining them into one translation/compilation unit?
• Transforming sentences with perfect infintive
• How to see image size in Firefox?
• Could Jordan have saved his company and avoided arrest if he hadn’t made that mistake?
• Find 10 float64s that give the least accurate sum
• Why don't they put more spare gyroscopes in expensive space telescopes?
• What will happen if we keep bringing two protons closer and closer to each other, starting from a large distance?
• Are there any precautions I should take if I plan on storing something very heavy near my foundation?
• A Fantasy movie with a powerful humanoid being that lives in water
• What was the title and author of this children's book of mazes?
• How does special relativity lead to anti-particles?
• Is APU bleed air blow back a genuine risk on the 737-800?
• How many vials would reasonably fit inside of a chest?
• Is there a way to snap Bézier curve handles to axes or angles?
• select() / poll() timeout stretches on Linux
• What is the meaning of this black/white (likely non-traffic) sign seen on German highways?
• What is the minimum number of avoids for Dota 2 never ever have a match?
• Is the work I do on the object always equal in magnitude but opposite in sign to the work the object does on me?
• Cannot install gnome-control-center upon upgrading Ubuntu (unmet dependencies with libpython3.10)
• Project Euler 127 - abc-hits
• In APEX, is it possible to add content inside a BLOB?
• Recommendations Modifying/increasing a bicycles Max Weight limits

The House Explained

We the People of the United States…

As per the Constitution, the U.S. House of Representatives makes and passes federal laws. The House is one of Congress’s two chambers (the other is the U.S. Senate), and part of the federal government’s legislative branch. The number of voting representatives in the House is fixed by law at no more than 435, proportionally representing the population of the 50 states.

Learn About:

What is a representative.

Also referred to as a congressman or congresswoman, each representative is elected to a two-year term serving the people of a specific congressional district. Among other duties, representatives introduce bills and resolutions, offer amendments and serve on committees. The number of representatives with full voting rights is 435, a number set by Public Law 62-5 on August 8, 1911, and in effect since 1913. The number of representatives per state is proportionate to population.

Article 1, Section 2 of the Constitution provides for both the minimum and maximum sizes for the House of Representatives. Currently, there are five delegates representing the District of Columbia, the Virgin Islands, Guam, American Samoa, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands. A resident commissioner represents Puerto Rico. The delegates and resident commissioner possess the same powers as other members of the House, except that they may not vote when the House is meeting as the House of Representatives.

To be elected, a representative must be at least 25 years old, a United States citizen for at least seven years and an inhabitant of the state he or she represents.

Go to the Clerk’s site for more information about representatives.

View the list of House members.

Find Your Representative

Enter your ZIP code in the banner of this page to find the representative for your congressional district.

Did You Know?

After extensive debate, the framers of the Constitution agreed to create the House with representation based on population and the Senate with equal representation. This agreement was part of what is referred to as The Great Compromise .

House leadership includes the speaker, majority and minority leaders, assistant leaders, whips and a party caucus or conference. The speaker acts as leader of the House and combines several institutional and administrative roles. Majority and minority leaders represent their respective parties on the House floor. Whips assist leadership in managing their party's legislative program on the House floor. A party caucus or conference is the name given to a meeting of or organization of all party members in the House. During these meetings, party members discuss matters of concern.

The majority party members and the minority party members meet in separate caucuses to select their leader. Third parties rarely have had enough members to elect their own leadership, and independents will generally join one of the larger party organizations to receive committee assignments.

Learn more about the history of the majority and minority leaders from the Office of the Clerk .

Leadership List

View the list of leadership offices and links to the websites.

Past Leadership

Curious about who else has been Speaker of the House or Majority Leader?  Read more about  past house leadership .

Do You Know?

How many people have served as Speaker of the House? Has the Speaker ever become President? Find out more about the history of the Speakership!

The House’s standing committees have different legislative jurisdictions. Each considers bills and issues and recommends measures for consideration by the House. Committees also have oversight responsibilities to monitor agencies, programs, and activities within their jurisdictions, and in some cases in areas that cut across committee jurisdictions.

The Committee of the Whole House is a committee of the House on which all representatives serve and which meets in the House Chamber for the consideration of measures from the Union calendar.

Before members are assigned to committees, each committee’s size and the proportion of Republicans to Democrats must be decided by the party leaders. The total number of committee slots allotted to each party is approximately the same as the ratio between majority party and minority party members in the full chamber.

Get answers to frequently asked questions about committees from the Clerk of the House.

Committee Websites

All committees have websites where they post information about the legislation they are drafting.

What's a Select Committee?

The House will sometimes form a special or select committee for a short time period and specific purpose, frequently an investigation.

Each committee has a chair and a ranking member. The chair heads the full committee. The ranking member leads the minority members of the committee.

Congress has created a wide variety of temporary and permanent commissions to serve as advisory bodies for investigative or policy-related issues, or to carry out administrative, interparliamentary, or commemorative tasks. Such commissions are typically created by either law or House resolution, and may be composed of House members, private citizens, or a mix of both. In some cases, the commissions are entities of the House or Congress itself; in other cases, they are crafted as independent entities within the legislative branch.

Examples of commissions

• Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission: a temporary, independent investigative body created by law and made up of private citizens.
• Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (also known as the Helsinki Commission): an independent U.S. government agency composed of nine members of the United States Senate, nine from the House of Representatives, and one member each from the Departments of State, Defense and Commerce.
• House Page Board: a permanent, Congressional advisory group created by law and made up of House members, Officers, and private citizens.

House Commissions

• Congressional Executive Commission on China
• Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission)
• House Democracy Partnership Commission
• Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission
• U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission

Whether working on Capitol Hill or in his / her congressional district, a representative’s schedule is extremely busy. Often beginning early in the morning with topical briefings, most representatives move quickly among caucus and committee meetings and hearings. They vote on bills, speak with constituents and other groups, and review constituent mail, press clips and various reports. Work can continue into the evening with receptions or fundraising events.

Key Concept

Representatives carry out a broad scope of work in order to best represent their constituents.

Contact Your Representative

Share your thoughts with your representative. Use the Find Your Representative box in the banner of this site to identify your representative, then use the contact form to share your thoughts.

Representatives’ schedules are sometimes planned out in increments as short as five minutes.

House Rules

The Rules of the House of Representatives for the 118th Congress were established by the House with the adoption of H. Res. 5 (PDF) on January 9, 2023. A section by section analysis is also available.

Rules of Conduct

The Committee on Ethics has jurisdiction over the rules and statutes governing the conduct of members, officers and employees while performing their official duties.

The Rules Committee controls what bills go to the House Floor and the terms of debate.

Majority Rules

The makeup of the Rules Committee has traditionally been weighted in favor of the majority party, and has been in its current configuration of 9 majority and 4 minority members since the late 1970s.

The Rules Committee has an online Parliamentary Bootcamp that gives an overview of House Floor procedures, process and precedents.

As outlined in the Constitution , the House represents citizens based on district populations, while the Senate represents citizens on an equal state basis. This agreement was part of what is called The Great Compromise which, in turn, led to the Permanent Seat of Government Act establishing the nation’s federal capital in Washington, DC. In 1789, the House assembled for the first time in New York. It moved to Philadelphia in 1790 and then to Washington, DC, in 1800.

Each member of the House represents a set number of constituents.

More House History

Learn more about the History of the House from the Clerk’s website.

The House of Representatives moved into the House wing on the south side of the Capitol in 1807, four years before the wing was fully completed.

Invest in news coverage you can trust.

Donate to PBS News Hour by June 30 !

Rachel Paine Caufield, The Conversation Rachel Paine Caufield, The Conversation

Leave your feedback

• Copy URL https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/heres-what-the-speaker-of-the-house-actually-does

Here’s what the speaker of the House actually does

Second in the line of presidential succession after the vice president, the speaker of the House occupies a central role in our national government. But what is it that a speaker actually does?

Most people think the speakership is a party office. It’s not . The speaker is selected by the full House membership, though the majority party’s voting power ensures that the role is occupied by one of their own.

From legislation to accounting

The speaker fills three primary roles.

First, they are the most visible and authoritative spokesperson for the majority party in the House. Speakers articulate an agenda and explain legislative action to other Washington officials as well as the public. They oversee House committee assignments and collaborate with the powerful House Rules Committee to structure floor debate.

WATCH LIVE: House resumes 2nd day of voting on next speaker after McCarthy falls short of majority

Second, the speaker manages business on the floor and navigates legislative rules, structuring House debate in a way that will advantage their legislative priorities. Adherence to strict rules and procedures is necessary to overcome the difficulty of managing a large legislative body like the House of Representatives.

Third, the speaker oversees everything from accounting to procurement for the House.

Power ebbed and flowed

During the republic’s early years, the speakership gradually gained power. By 1910, Speaker Joe Cannon had centralized power to such an extent that many of his own party members rebelled . Power was redistributed to committees and lower-level party leaders.

By the 1970s, committees had gained such control over legislative outcomes that widespread reforms were adopted, which shifted power back to the speaker.

From 1977 to 1995, three successive Democratic speakers – Thomas “Tip” O’Neill , Jim Wright and Tom Foley – reinvigorated the speakership. They enlarged the party leadership structure, creating wider networks of loyalty among members of the majority party while strengthening support for their priorities.

READ MORE: How the speaker of the House gets picked

Today, the role of the speaker is influenced especially by changes instituted by Speaker Newt Gingrich , who took the gavel after the 1994 elections.

Gingrich, a Republican, was overtly partisan in the role. He announced that, compared with past speakers , he was “essentially a political leader of a grassroots movement seeking to do nothing less than reshape the federal government along with the political culture of the nation.”

Since Gingrich’s tenure, speakers are often criticized as too partisan and too powerful, trampling minority party interests. But this is the nature of the job in today’s Washington.

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article .

Rachel Paine Caufield is a professor of political science at Drake University.

Support Provided By: Learn more

Support PBS News:

Educate your inbox

Subscribe to Here’s the Deal, our politics newsletter for analysis you won’t find anywhere else.

Thank you. Please check your inbox to confirm.

House Republicans spar over Speaker decision as McCarthy fights to secure votes

Politics Jan 02

Committee Assignments

House Appropriations Committee

As a member of the  House Committee on Appropriations , I am using my position to prioritize investments in innovation and Chicago-area infrastructure, which will grow the local economy and spur job creation. I'm also fighting to protect funding for vital housing and social services programs and am a leading voice for smarter defense spending and nuclear reduction. I currently serve on the  Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies  (THUD). Subcommittee on Energy and Water Development, and the subcommittee on the Legislative Branch.

In January 2023, I was appointed by the House Democratic Caucus to serve as Ranking Member of the Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development Subcommittee on the Appropriations Committee for the 118th Congress, The THUD Subcommittee is responsible for funding the Department of Transportation and Department of Housing and Urban Development. I look forward to pushing for expanded housing availability and improving our infrastructure and transit systems in this new role. 

House of Representatives Sustainable Energy & Environment Coalition (SEEC)

Throughout my career, I have been proud to prioritize the pursuit of sustainable energy to protect our earth and grow our economy. I was pleased to be named Co-Chair of the Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) for the 118th Congress to help advance House Democrats’ efforts to introduce and advocate for legislation that combats climate change, defends our natural resources, and promotes renewable, local energy.

Previous Assignments

I previously served on the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence, the House Committee on the Judiciary, and the House Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, where I was the Ranking Member for the Subcommittee on TARP, Financial Services, and Bailouts of Public and Private Programs. I was also proud to serve as the Chairman of the Appropriations Subcommittee on Financial Services and General Government. 

Other House Committees; Other Member Assignments

Visit the  House of Representatives Committee List  to view all House committee links. On each committee's website, you can access its members, leadership, subcommittees, jurisdiction, and more.

Scott, Hirono, Murray, Reed, Whitehouse, Pocan Introduce Bill to Double Pell Grant, Make College More Affordable

The pell grant preservation and expansion act permanently indexes pell grants to inflation, increasing their purchasing power.

As originally released by the Committee on Education and the Workforce, Democrats

WASHINGTON, DC –   Today, Education and the Workforce Committee Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA), U.S. Senators Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jack Reed (D-RI), and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and Representative Mark Pocan (D-WI) introduced the  Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act of 2024 , bicameral legislation that would nearly double the Pell Grant maximum award, index the maximum award for inflation, and make other changes to expand the award for working students and families. The Pell Grant program is the cornerstone of federal financial aid for postsecondary education, serving over 6 million undergraduate students. 

“The Pell Grant is the most important tool we have to help students afford college. Unfortunately, due to the rising cost of college, the purchasing power of Pell Grants has severely eroded over time,”   said Ranking Member Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (VA-03), House Committee on Education and the Workforce .   “By doubling the maximum Pell award, and adjusting future awards for inflation, the Pell Grant Preservation & Expansion Act will go a long way to restore the purchasing power and help millions of students earn a quality degree, without being forced to take on excessive debt.”

“Pell Grants help to make postsecondary education more affordable for thousands of students in Hawaii and millions across the country,”  said Senator Hirono . “However, as the cost of attending college has continued to rise over the years, the purchasing power of the Pell Grant has steadily declined. I’m proud to reintroduce this legislation to restore the value of Pell Grants and enable more students to access higher education.”

“My siblings and I were able to go to college thanks to federal support, and students today deserve to know the federal government has their back and will help them pursue their dreams, too. Pell Grants cover far less than they used to, but this bill will help fix that—and provide long-term stability for Pell—by doubling the maximum award and indexing it to inflation,”  said Senator Murray . “I'm going to keep pushing to pass this legislation and help ensure every student can pursue a higher education—no matter how much money their family has.”

“The Pell grant is the cornerstone of our federal financial aid programs.  But over the years, the grant has covered a shrinking percentage of the actual cost of college, requiring students to take on more debt or, even worse, not continue their education. This legislation would help expand access to Pell grants, lower student debt, strengthen our workforce and economy, and help deserving students achieve their full potential,”  said U.S. Senator Jack Reed .

“Pell Grants, one of Senator Claiborne Pell’s great legacies, have helped make college more affordable for generations of Rhode Islanders,”  said Senator Whitehouse . “Our bill would increase the maximum Pell Grant award and expand eligibility for the program, giving more students the opportunity to make their dreams of higher education a reality.”

“No one should be denied a chance at a higher education if they are smart and capable enough but are unable to afford it. As a recipient of the Pell Grant myself, I know just how instrumental of a tool it is to make college accessible for all,”  Congressman Pocan said . “Unfortunately, skyrocketing tuition costs and perpetual underfunding continue to undermine this critical program. The Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act would not only double the maximum Pell Grant, it would protect the program from future cuts, expand eligibility to include DREAMers, and ensure that postsecondary education is attainable for every student—regardless of their socioeconomic status.”

In addition to doubling the Pell Grant maximum award and indexing the maximum award for inflation, the  Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act   also makes the Pell Grant funding fully mandatory to protect it from funding shortfalls, expands the program to include DREAMers, and restores lifetime eligibility for the program to 18 semesters, among other changes that will benefit students.

In addition to Representatives Scott and Pocan, the bill is cosponsored in the House by Representatives Cori Bush (D-MO), Suzanne Bonamici (D-OR), John Garamendi (D-CA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Frederica Wilson (D-FL), Nikema Williams (D-GA), Lloyd Doggett (D-TX), Bennie Thompson (D-MS), John Sarbanes (D-MD), Gregorio Kilili Camacho Sablan (D-MP), Marilyn Strickland (D-WA), Gwen Moore (D-WI), Barbara Lee (D-CA), Brad Sherman (D-CA), Juan Vargas (D-CA), Robin Kelly (D-IL), Raul Grijalva (D-AZ), Dan Goldman (D-NY), Alma Adams (D-NC), Andre Carson (D-IN), Joyce Beatty (D-OH), Seth Magaziner (D-RI), Mark DeSaulnier (D-CA), Doris Matsui (D-CA), Jamie Raskin (D-MD), Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY). 

In addition to Senators Hirono, Murray, Reed, and Whitehouse, the bill is cosponsored in the Senate by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Cory Booker (D-NJ), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Laphonza Butler (D-CA), Ben Cardin (D-MD), Bob Casey (D-PA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Martin Heinrich (D-NM), Tim Kaine (D-VA), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ed Markey (D-MA), Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), and Ron Wyden (D-OR).  

To read the full text of the bill click  here .

To read the fact sheet click here .

This bill is a part of the Roadmap to College Student Success, House Democrats’ campaign to reform America’s higher education  system  for students and families. The “roadmap” brings together a series of bold proposals focused on bringing down the cost of college, helping students access a quality degree, and—once students are in school—providing them with the support they need to graduate. Learn more about the Roadmap to College Student Success  here .

The  Pell Grant Preservation and Expansion Act   is endorsed by American Association of Community Colleges (AACC); Association of Community College Trustees (AACT); American Association for State College and Universities (AASCU); Association of American Universities (AAU); American Association of University Professors (AAUP); American Association of University Women (AAUW); American Council on Education (ACE); American Federation of Teachers (AFT); American Indian Higher Education Consortium (AIHEC); Asian Pacific Islander American Scholars (APIA Scholars); Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities (APLU); Arizona Students’ Association; Associated Students of the University of California: Berkeley; Center for American Progress (CAP); Center for Law and Social Policy (CLASP); Denver Scholarship Foundation; The Education Trust (Ed Trust); Institute for Higher Education Policy (IHEP); Jobs for the Future (JFF); Menlo College; National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (NAICU); National College Attainment Network (NCAN); National Education Association (NEA); New American Higher Education Policy Program; National Skills Coalition (NSC); Partnership for the Future; Phi Beta Kappa; Service Employees International Union (SEIU); Southern California College Attainment Network; State Higher Education Executive Officers Association (SHEEO); The Hope Center at Temple University; Third Way; The Institute for College Access and Success (TICAS); Today’s Students Coalition (formerly HLA); uAspire; United Negro College Fund (UNCF); UNITE-LA; and Young Invincibles .

House Committees: Assignment Process

• Election 2024
• Entertainment
• Newsletters
• Photography
• Personal Finance
• AP Investigations
• AP Buyline Personal Finance
• AP Buyline Shopping
• Press Releases
• Israel-Hamas War
• Russia-Ukraine War
• Global elections
• Asia Pacific
• Latin America
• Middle East
• Election Results
• Delegate Tracker
• AP & Elections
• Auto Racing
• 2024 Paris Olympic Games
• Movie reviews
• Book reviews
• Personal finance
• Financial Markets
• Business Highlights
• Financial wellness
• Artificial Intelligence
• Social Media

Speaker Johnson appoints two Trump allies to a committee that handles classified intelligence

Speaker of the House Mike Johnson, R-La., and other Republican leaders meet with reporters to condemn former President Donald Trump’s guilty conviction in a New York court last week, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, June 4, 2024. Johnson also called President Joe Biden the worst president in American history. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)

• Copy Link copied

WASHINGTON (AP) — House Speaker Mike Johnson on Wednesday appointed two far-right Republicans to the powerful House Intelligence Committee, positioning two close allies of Donald Trump who worked to overturn the 2020 presidential election on a panel that receives sensitive classified briefings and oversees the work of America’s spy agencies.

The appointments of GOP Reps. Scott Perry of Pennsylvania and Ronny Jackson of Texas to the House Intelligence Committee were announced on the House floor Wednesday. Johnson, a hardline conservative from Louisiana who has aligned himself with Trump, was replacing spots on the committee that opened up after the resignations of Republican Reps. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin and Chris Stewart of Utah.

Committee spots have typically been given to lawmakers with backgrounds in national security and who have gained respect across the aisle. But the replacements with two close Trump allies comes as Johnson has signaled his willingness to use the full force of the House to aid Trump’s bid to reclaim the Oval Office. It also hands the hard-right faction of the House two coveted spots on a committee that handles the nation’s secrets and holds tremendous influence over the direction of foreign policy.

Trump has long displayed adversarial and flippant views of the U.S. intelligence community, flouted safeguards over classified information and directly berated law enforcement agencies like the FBI. The former president faces 37 felony counts for improperly storing in his Florida estate sensitive documents on nuclear capabilities, repeatedly enlisting aides and lawyers to help him hide records demanded by investigators and cavalierly showing off a Pentagon “plan of attack” and classified map.

Johnson did not release a statement on his picks for the committee.

Perry, who formerly chaired the ultraconservative House Freedom Caucus, was ordered by a federal judge last year to turn over more than 1,600 texts and emails to FBI agents investigating efforts to keep Trump in office after his 2020 election loss and illegally block the transfer of power to Democrat Joe Biden.

Perry’s personal cellphone was also seized by federal authorities who have explored his role in helping install an acting attorney general who would be receptive to Trump’s false claims of election fraud.

Perry and other conservatives have also pushed Congress to curtail a key U.S. government surveillance tool. They want to restrict the FBI’s ability to use the program to search for Americans’ data.

“I look forward to providing not only a fresh perspective, but conducting actual oversight — not blind obedience to some facets of our Intel Community that all too often abuse their powers, resources, and authority to spy on the American People,” Perry said in a statement.

Jackson, who was elected to the House in 2020, was formerly a top White House physician under former presidents Barack Obama and Trump. Known for his over-the-top pronouncements about Trump’s health, Jackson was nominated by Trump to be the secretary of Veterans Affairs.

He withdrew his nomination amid allegations of professional misconduct. An internal investigation at the Department of Defense later concluded that Jackson made “sexual and denigrating” comments about a female subordinate, violated the policy on drinking alcohol on a presidential trip and took prescription-strength sleeping medication that prompted worries from his colleagues about his ability to provide proper medical care.

Jackson has denied those allegations and described them as politically motivated.

The House committee that investigated the Jan. 6 insurrection at the Capitol also requested testimony from Jackson as it looked into lawmakers’ meetings at the White House, direct conversations with Trump as he sought to challenge his election loss and the planning and coordination of rallies. Jackson declined to testify.

The presence of Jackson and Perry on the committee could damage the trust between the president and the committee in handling classified information, said Ira Goldman, a former Republican congressional aide who worked as a counsel to the intelligence committee in the 1970s and 1980s.

He said, “You’re giving members seats on the committee when, based on the public record, they couldn’t get a security clearance if they came through any other door.”

• Skip to primary navigation
• Skip to main content
• Skip to footer

7-DAY UNLIMITED ACCESS

‘Fearless’ and ‘witty’ Dem makes waves on Natural Resources

By Heather Richards, Garrett Downs | 06/21/2024 06:44 AM EDT

Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove has been subbing as the top Democrat on the House committee, underscoring her rising prominence.

Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove (D-Calif.) during a hearing on Capitol Hill last year on permitting and energy infrastructure. Francis Chung/POLITICO

Rep. Sydney Kamlager-Dove, a freshman Democrat from California, has battled Republicans over gas stoves, mining on asteroids, and whether U.S. oil and gas companies are facing a crisis under President Joe Biden. And she’s making an impression on both sides of the aisle.

As vice ranking member of the House Natural Resources Committee, she’s risen to greater prominence in recent months, several times acting as substitute lead for Democrats on the dais while ranking member Raúl Grijalva (D-Ariz.) recovers from cancer treatment.

From that perch, and her slot on the Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee, she has burnished her reputation as a progressive to watch on energy and climate with sharp back-and-forths with Republicans.

“She’s fearless. She’s witty. She is comfortable and poised,” said Rep. Jared Huffman, another progressive Democrat from California and ranking member of the Water, Wildlife and Fisheries subcommittee.

The transformation of the energy sector.

Policy. Science. Business.

Congress. Legislation. Politics.

The leader in energy and environment news.

Late-breaking news.

© POLITICO, LLC

House Committee on Ethics

Search form.

• Committee Members
• Committee Staff
• Committee Events
• Committee Jurisdiction
• Committee History
• Committee Advice
• Committee Rules
• Committee Jobs
• Committee Statements
• FAQs About Campaign Activity
• FAQs About Gifts
• FAQ About Casework
• FAQs About Financial Disclosure
• FAQs about Future Employment and Recusal
• FAQs About Official Allowances
• FAQs About Official and Outside Organizations
• FAQs About Outside Employment
• FAQs About Staff Rights and Duties
• FAQs About Training
• FAQs About Travel
• Gifts Guidance
• Gift Waivers
• Gift Pink Sheets
• Travel Guidance
• Travel Regulations
• Travel Forms
• Travel Calculator
• Travel Pink Sheets
• Campaign Activity FAQs
• Campaign Contributions and Contributors
• Campaign Work by House Employees
• General Prohibition Against Using Official Resources for Campaign or Political Purposes
• Other Applicable Laws, Rules, and Standards of Conduct
• Proper Use of Campaign Funds and Resources
• Campaign Activity Pink Sheets
• General Information About Financial Disclosure
• Financial Disclosure Forms and Filing
• Financial Disclosure Guidance
• Periodic Transaction Report Calculator
• Past Financial Disclosures
• Retention of and Public Access to Reports
• Specific Disclosure Requirements
• Termination Reports
• Common Financial Disclosure Mistakes
• Financial Disclosure Pink Sheets
• New Employee
• Existing Employee
• Senior Staff
• Training Pink Sheets
• Art Competition Form
• Future Employment Forms
• Forms for Members Practicing Medicine
• STEM Competition
• Solicitation Waiver
• Teaching Forms
• Legal Expense Fund Form
• Outside Positions Forms
• Committee Reports
• General Advisories
• Historical Documents
• Press Releases
• Summary of Activities

Statement Regarding the Matter of Representative Matt Gaetz

Pursuant to Committee Rule 7, the Committee on Ethics (Committee) determined to release the following statement:

On April 9, 2021, the Committee announced it had initiated a review into allegations that Representative Matt Gaetz may have engaged in sexual misconduct and/or illicit drug use, shared inappropriate images or videos on the House floor, misused state identification records, converted campaign funds to personal use, and/or accepted a bribe, improper gratuity, or impermissible gift, in violation of House Rules, laws, or other standards of conduct.  The Committee deferred its consideration of the matter in response to a request from the Department of Justice (DOJ).  In May 2023, the Committee reauthorized its investigation after DOJ withdrew its deferral request. 

There has been a significant and unusual amount of public reporting on the Committee’s activities this Congress.  Much of that reporting has been inaccurate.  The Committee’s investigations are conducted confidentially, but the Committee’s confidentiality rules do not prohibit witnesses from disclosing information about the Committee’s requests or conversations with Committee investigators.  The Committee is confident in the integrity of its process. 

Representative Gaetz has categorically denied all of the allegations before the Committee.  Notwithstanding the difficulty in obtaining relevant information from Representative Gaetz and others, the Committee has spoken with more than a dozen witnesses, issued 25 subpoenas, and reviewed thousands of pages of documents in this matter.  Based on its review to date, the Committee has determined that certain of the allegations merit continued review.  During the course of its investigation, the Committee has also identified additional allegations that merit review.

Accordingly, the Committee is reviewing allegations pursuant to Committee Rules 14(a)(3) and 18(a) that Representative Gaetz may have:  engaged in sexual misconduct and illicit drug use, accepted improper gifts, dispensed special privileges and favors to individuals with whom he had a personal relationship, and sought to obstruct government investigations of his conduct.  The Committee will take no further action at this time on the allegations that he may have shared inappropriate images or videos on the House floor, misused state identification records, converted campaign funds to personal use, and/or accepted a bribe or improper gratuity. 

The Committee notes that the mere fact of an investigation into these allegations does not itself indicate that any violation has occurred.  No other public comment will be made on this matter except in accordance with Committee rules.

Press Release

Republican National Committee prepares for a convention Trump may not attend

Donald Trump is preparing for a scenario in which he will be unable to attend the Republican National Convention, a decision influenced in part by the possibility that he could be sentenced to home confinement after his historic conviction late last month . 

Preparations are being made at both Mar-a-Lago, his home in Florida, and in Milwaukee, the host city for the convention next month, should Trump either choose to make appearances from afar or be unable to attend, according to two sources familiar with the planning.

“The campaign in conjunction with the RNC is planning an amazing convention program that will highlight the party and officially designate President Trump’s nomination,” senior adviser Brian Hughes said in a statement to NBC News. “President Trump will be featured as an active part of this official event and celebration of our pathway to victory in November.”

After this article published on Thursday, Hughes sent an additional statement, saying, "At no time has convention planning involved any option than President Trump in person to accept his formal nomination as president."

A New York jury found Trump guilty on 34 counts of falsifying business records tied to a hush money payment to an adult film star during the 2016 campaign. His sentencing is set for July 11, just four days before the Republican convention. He faces a fine, probation or up to four years in prison per count; legal experts have mixed views about what punishment he is likely to receive, but home confinement remains an option.

Trump has said he is “OK” with the idea that he could face jail time or house arrest.

In case of potential house arrest, the Republican National Committee is already setting up convention-themed staging at Mar-a-Lago, along with a massive screen at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, where most convention activities will take place.

“If you look at what has been released about the stage at our convention, it’s going to be the highest-tech stage ever,” a Republican operative who has toured the convention site said. “It will allow the campaign to utilize people not in Milwaukee to be projected into the hall."

“This will give President Trump an opportunity to participate in more days of the convention if he chooses to,” the person continued.

The RNC has put its stage construction front and center, with Chair Michael Whatley calling it “the centerpiece of a word-class production and a historic experience,” at a news conference .

“Synthesizing technological innovation and artistic vision, our dynamic stage design will be at the center of a historic Republican National Convention,” Whatley said in a release last week.

The Republican operative who viewed the convention site said that the idea of Trump’s being under house arrest was not discussed during tours in Milwaukee and that people were told there is a chance Trump could just choose to hold convention-related events from Mar-a-Lago.

A Trump campaign official, though, confirmed to NBC News that the idea that he could be under house arrest for the convention is part of the planning process. 

Asked for comment, Hughes said: “As with every convention there are components involving the nominee outside the convention hall and inside the convention hall. This convention will undoubtedly include these components for President Trump.”

But even if Trump is a free man, he may not be especially excited to go to Milwaukee. In a meeting with House Republicans in Washington, D.C., on Thursday morning, Trump called Milwaukee "horrible" and said it was overrun by crime, according to a source who was in the room.

Trump spokesman Steve Cheung took issue with characterizations that the former president didn't like Milwaukee, saying he was "talking about how terrible crime and voter fraud are."

Trump has repeatedly said he is waiting until next month to announce his vice presidential running mate, saying as recently as last week that he plans to do so at the convention. His campaign declined to comment on how being remote for some, or all, of the big event would affect the timing and planning of that announcement. 

While Trump will be sentenced the week before the convention, legal experts have told NBC News that he is likely to request that the sentence be suspended while he appeals. If the trial judge or an appellate judge grants the request, Trump would most likely be able to continue to move freely, as he did while he was awaiting trial.

If the sentence does affect his ability to attend the convention, he would be the first major-party nominee in recent memory not to have attended the party’s convention, an event that features the formal acceptance of the nomination by the candidate and an accompanying speech.  

“Friends, delegates and fellow Americans: I humbly and gratefully accept your nomination for the presidency of the United States,” Trump said opening his remarks in Cleveland in 2016.

Trump also gave an in-person speech in 2020 during a shortened Republican convention in Jacksonville, Florida, a gathering that came together after Republicans pushed for an in-person convention amid the pandemic. The convention had originally been scheduled to take place in North Carolina, but was moved after Roy Cooper, the Democratic governor, refused to allow a fully attended convention.

Matt Dixon is a senior national politics reporter for NBC News, based in Florida.

WSJ Editorial Board: Biden Makes a Bogus Executive Privilege Claim

WASHINGTON—The Wall Street Journal Editorial Board today discussed how the White House’s executive privilege claims over the audio recordings of President Biden’s interview with Special Counsel Hur are bogus and intended to avoid presidential embarrassment. The Editorial Board details how the White House’s claim would not withstand legal scrutiny. The House Oversight and Accountability Committee tonight is initiating contempt of Congress proceedings against U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland for refusing to comply with a congressional subpoena requiring the production of the audio recordings of President Biden’s interview about his mishandling of classified documents.  

“Mr. Biden sat for an interview over two days with the special counsel about his mishandling of classified documents. A pair of House committees sought the transcript and audio recordings of the interview, and the White House turned over the transcript. But on Thursday the President asserted executive privilege over the audio tapes.

“The privilege claim is bogus on two grounds. First, once a President waives a privilege right, it can’t be reclaimed. Mr. Biden conceded that the interview wasn’t privileged, and there’s no legal basis to say that a recording is different from a transcript.

“Even if Mr. Biden had first claimed privilege over the interview, that wouldn’t pass legal muster because the interview subject didn’t concern his presidential duties or White House deliberations. It concerned his handling of documents while in the Senate, as Vice President, or as a private citizen.

“Mr. Siskel’s claim that the goal is to protect the Justice Department’s ‘law enforcement investigations’ also doesn’t work. Such a claim of law-enforcement privilege typically attends to a continuing investigation, but Mr. Hur’s work is complete. He has filed his report and closed up shop.

“The White House claim of privilege over the recordings isn’t intended to protect executive power. It’s intended to avoid presidential embarrassment. That’s a political goal, not a legitimate legal justification.”